Discover your potential as a PhD student at UBC Vancouver. 

Join a thriving community of more than 3,500 doctoral students within a dynamic graduate population of over 11,000. With more than 100 PhD programs spanning 12 faculties, UBC Vancouver attracts outstanding scholars from around the world who are shaping research and innovation across every discipline.

Now is an exceptional time to pursue your doctoral studies at UBC with competitive funding opportunities, a diverse, interdisciplinary research environment, and for international students, a streamlined study permit process with fast approval times.

 

UBC's Institutional Rankings

#41
THE Ranking (2025)
#53
ARWU Ranking (2025)
#5
QS Sustainability Rankings (2025)

The most established and influential global rankings all consistently place UBC in the top three per cent of universities in the world.

 

 

Research Excellence

Our anthropologists and literary scholars are exploring ancient civilizations, while our physicists, chemists and engineers are developing futuristic materials. Research at UBC also spans the spectrum of human life, from discovering how babies develop language inside the womb, through to creating programs that support active and healthy aging. Collectively, researchers at UBC are making discoveries that are advancing their fields and changing our world. Some of these projects lead to new medical treatments, some help protect the biodiversity of our planet, while others develop and change our understanding of society and our roles within it.  

Researchers and scholars at UBC are also coming together across disciplines and building partnerships beyond institutional boundaries to tackle some of the major challenges facing society, including climate change, health, social equity and disaster resilience. At UBC, the complex challenges of our world inspire exciting new ways of thinking and collaborating. 

$936.4M
Research Funding
$258.2M
Tri-Agency Funding
10,120
Research Projects

Streamlined Immigration

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2 Weeks

Expedited study permit processing time for new PhD students applying from outside of Canada.

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No Cap on PhD Students

As of January 1, 2026, you won’t need a provincial attestation letter.

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Stay and Work in Canada

Spousal work permits, work opportunities while studying, and pathways to permanent residence and Canadian citizenship.

Canada's strong commitment to innovation, research excellence, and attracting top global talent is opening new pathways for international doctoral students. Moving to Canada for graduate studies is now more straightforward than ever with study permit applications submitted outside Canada being processed in as little as two weeks, and starting January 2026, graduate students will no longer require a provincial attestation letter. You can also bring your spouse or partner and children, and after graduation, there are clear post-study work options, making it easier to build your career in Canada.

Learn more about the latest updates from the Government of Canada and watch a video from UBC grad student Priye Iworima about why she chose to come to UBC, and Canada.

PhD Funding

At UBC Vancouver, PhD funding is designed to ensure students can focus on their research without undue financial pressure. 50% of students receive $41,190 or more funding per year in the first 4 years, before tuition and fees. This support typically comes from a mix of graduate research assistantships, teaching assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships. 

 

$41,190 CAD
Median funding amount per year for PhD students (years 1-4)
1,200
Additional awards at PhD level nationally from CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding agencies
$3,200 CAD
Annual assistance for most international PhD students at UBC via International Tuition Award

 

Recently, funding through the three federal research funding agencies, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has been streamlined into a new harmonized talent program called the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS). With this new program, the number of awards for doctoral students will increase by 1,200, with each award valued at $40,000 per year. These awards are open to international students, with 15% of all doctoral awards earmarked for international applicants. 

Dr. Dierkes, former Senior Associate Dean, explains why universities and governments invest in graduate students, outlines funding types for research-based master’s and PhD programs, and describes UBC’s Minimum Funding Guarantee for PhD students. Please note that the funding amounts mentioned are lower than current levels, as funding has increased since the video was recorded in 2023.

 

Facilities

Facilities

Our doctoral students have access to world‑class research facilities that support breakthrough work across disciplines. For example, the recently opened Gordon B. Shrum Building a $139.4 million purpose‑built home for the School of Biomedical Engineering, brings together wet labs, biomechanics and AI diagnostics labs, and industry‑partner spaces under one roof. Meanwhile, the expanded Beaty Biodiversity Centre saw a $45 million investment to grow its research, teaching and partner‑engagement spaces around biodiversity, ecology and conservation. 

Some more places where our research happens

Outside view of the CIRS building

Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability

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View of the Beaty expansion project

Beaty Biodiversity Research Centre

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Outside view of the QMI building

Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute

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Outside view of the Gordon B. Shrum Building

School of Biomedical Engineering

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Rendered view of the Gateway Building

Gateway Building

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Street view of the C.K. Choi building

C.K. Choi Building

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Fields on the UBC Farm

UBC Farm

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Inside view of auditorium in the Chan

Chan Centre

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Outside view of the MSL building

Michael Smith Laboratories

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View of great hall in the MoA

Museum of Anthropology

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Front facing view of the Pharamceutical Sciences building

Pharmaceutical Sciences

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EAB building

Earth Science Building

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PhD Programs

We have more than 100 different doctoral programs at UBC Vancouver. Search our graduate degree programs directory and read more about our 12 faculties.  

How to apply

Prospective students should first read the application requirements for their program of interest. Typically, programs require applicants to identify and connect with a potential supervisor whose research aligns with their interests. Applications are submitted online through the Graduate Studies portal. Application elements vary by program but typically include academic transcripts, a statement of interest, an academic CV, reference letters, and proof of English language proficiency (if applicable).  Deadlines vary by department, so it’s important to check program-specific requirements and timelines.

Find your program of interest on our Graduate degree programs page and review information on application requirements and how to apply.

Meet our PhD students

Marina Mehling

Marina Mehling

United States of America

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD)

Biofunctionalization of Cellulose

person standing in a winter jacket outside

Yue Guo

China

Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education (PhD)

Effective writing intervention and optimal assessment practices for students with learning difficulties
Margarita Kapustina in front of a body of water

Margarita Kapustina

Lithuania

Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)

Identifying the cell-type-specific substrate for alertness in the mouse brain
Dane Sands

Dane Sands

Bahamas

Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PhD)

Functional genomics and cellular engineering in K. phaffii for enhanced antimicrobial peptide secretion
Firth McEachern

Firth MacKenzie McEachern

Philippines

Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD)

Home/community languages ("mother tongues") in Southeast Asian education systems

Yu-Chi (Serena) Chuang

Yu-Chi (Serena) Chuang

Taiwan

Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD)

Investigating the Role of SHPRH in Lung Adenocarcinoma Initiation and Development
Molly Zhang

Molly Zhang

China

Doctor of Philosophy in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PhD)

Growing Native Food Plants: A Comparative Study on Socio-Ecological Outcomes Across Landscapes
Jiin Yoo

Jiin Yoo

Korea, Republic of

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD)

South Korean Immigrant Parents’ Educational Engagement: A Critical Ethnographic Study in the Greater Vancouver Area